Thai Red Curry Chicken
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Craving Thai food? This red chicken curry is a one-pan wonder with tender chicken in a rich coconut curry sauce that’s ready in just 30 minutes—no fuss, just deliciousness!
I love cooking Thai-style food at home because you can make so many flavorful dishes with just a few staples from the Asian aisle at the grocery store. This red curry chicken is a perfect example: a one-pan dinner of tender chicken simmered in a rich, curry-infused coconut milk sauce. Like most Thai curries, it’s cozy, quick to make, and so satisfying—you won’t even think about take-out.
In developing the recipe, the biggest challenge was determining the best way to cook the chicken. Most recipes call for sautéing the chicken first and then warming it in the finished sauce. But the problem with that method, if you’re using white meat, is that the chicken tends to dry out quickly. I found that gently poaching the chicken in the coconut sauce is not only easier but also foolproof. You’ll be so pleased with how tender the chicken turns out when cooked this way!
“Fantastic! My whole family loves it – even my picky five-year-old. We usually add veggies like mushrooms and snow peas, but it’s also wonderful as is.”
What You’ll Need To Make Thai Red Chicken Curry
- Oil, Scallions, garlic & jalapeño: Sautéed together at the start to build a savory, slightly spicy base. The scallions add a mellow onion flavor, garlic gives depth, and jalapeño brings just a hint of heat. (For more spice, leave in the seeds of the pepper or add a pinch of red pepper flakes later.)
- Thai red curry paste: This is where all the flavor happens. Made with red chiles, lemongrass, galangal, and spices, it gives the dish its signature warmth and color. Thai Kitchen brand is easy to find and on the mild side—great for families. Want more kick? Add Sriracha, jalapeño seeds, or crushed red pepper.
- Coconut milk: Adds creaminess and a touch of sweetness; use full-fat for the best texture—light versions can be watery.
- Fish sauce & dark brown sugar: A classic Thai combo—the fish sauce adds salty umami, while the brown sugar balances the spice.
- Chicken tenderloins (or breasts): Tender and quick-cooking; just cut into bite-size pieces so they cook evenly and stay juicy.
- Fresh lime juice & cilantro: Lime brightens the dish and balances the richness; cilantro adds color and freshness (totally optional if you’re not a fan).
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Sauté the aromatics. Heat the oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-low heat. Add the light scallion parts, garlic, and jalapeño. Cook, stirring often, for 3 to 4 minutes until softened—don’t let them brown. Keeping the heat moderate allows the aromatics to gently soften and release their flavor without browning (which can make the curry taste bitter).
Step 2: Add the curry sauce ingredients. Stir in the coconut milk, red curry paste, fish sauce, and brown sugar. Bring to a gentle boil, then lower the heat and simmer for a few minutes to thicken slightly.
Step 3: Cook the chicken. Add the chicken pieces and simmer, stirring now and then, for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
Step 4: Finish and serve. Stir in the lime juice, dark scallion greens, and cilantro. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve with jasmine rice and enjoy!
More Asian Dishes You may Like
Thai Red Curry Chicken
This Thai curry chicken is rich, cozy, and full of bold flavor—perfect over jasmine rice for an easy weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 small bunch scallions, thinly sliced, light and dark green parts divided
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced (see note)
- 1 (14-oz) can coconut milk (unsweetened)
- 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2½ tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
- 1½ pounds chicken tenderloins, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 tablespoon lime juice, from 1 lime
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Heat the oil over medium-low heat in a large nonstick pan. Add the light scallions, garlic, and jalapeño and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Do not brown.
- Add the coconut milk, red curry paste, fish sauce, and brown sugar and whisk together. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer until thickened, a few minutes. Add the chicken and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally to promote even cooking, until the chicken is cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. (Do not let the sauce boil; the idea is to cook the chicken gently so that it's tender.) Stir in the lime juice, dark scallion greens, and cilantro. Taste and adjust seasoning with more lime, if necessary. Serve with jasmine rice.
- Note: As always, take care when working with jalapeño peppers. If you touch the seeds or ribs, be sure to wash your hands well and avoid touching your eyes.
- Note: It's important to wait until you're ready to eat to cook the chicken. If you want to get a head start, prepare the sauce up until the point when the chicken is added. Take it off the heat and then poach the chicken right before serving. If the chicken sits in the hot curry sauce for too long before serving, it will overcook.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 649
- Fat: 51 g
- Saturated fat: 26 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Sugar: 10 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Sodium: 886 mg
- Cholesterol: 128 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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This was my first time making Thai, this was so good. I followed the recipe exactly as written. I like the cooking tips in the recipes, it really is so helpful. My favorite is the Peruvian chicken with green sauce but this is a close second.
Excellent! “Perfectly Tasty” was how one of my social distancing walking friends described it as we sat outside enjoying a nice warm bowl of it after an outing. Well balanced and hits all the flavor notes. People loved the sauce and kept commenting on it. Fresh and delicious. I used low fat coconut milk and boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1/4 strips on the diagonal per your Chicken Curry recipe. Another hit which always shines. Thank you, Jenn!
Delicious!! I had to make it about an hour ahead so I just cooked the chicken for a minute or two on the stove top and then put in the oven at 180 and it didn’t get overcooked! I added the green onions and basil (instead of cilantro) to the serving dish when I took it out of the oven.
My whole family loved it! It’s such a nice change of flavours from our usual fare.
We loved it. Toddler was licking his spoon. We couldn’t find tenderloin so had to use chicken breast but it still turned out great.
Trader Joes has beautiful organic chicken tenders
Best red curry recipe out there. Delicious
This is restaurant quality thai chicken curry! Flavorful and delicious, I will be making this again!
I accidentally bought canned coconut cream, but I made it into coconut milk with water and a blender after searching for the ratios on line. It always takes me longer to prep, but when I love all the ingredients, it usually works in the end. It was delicious! The instructions were spot on, and the flavors amazing! I was afraid it might be too spicy for me, but it was perfect. Everyone including my finicky 14 year old daughter actually went for seconds. I served with peas and jasmine rice. It was full of flavor, healthy, and satisfying. This one is a keeper! Thank you Jenn for all the quality dishes! You are making my life easier! I am so glad I found your site!
This curry recipe sounds great, but please – never, ever use vegetable oil! It’s a very toxic oil. Use a good oil, such as avocado.
I would like to make this for my family, but with shrimp (one is a vegetarian, but sometimes eats fish). Would I basically do the same thing… add the shrimp to the sauce and be careful to not overcook them? Thanks!
Exactly – I’d love to hear how it turns out!
This recipe made the best red curry chicken I’ve ever had! I reduced the fish sauce by half and added 1 C of diced carrots (pre-cooked). So delicious! Thanks!